


Looking Out For You

by bunnymarket



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Autistic Reader, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, reader is clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26005561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnymarket/pseuds/bunnymarket
Summary: Spencer and Reader share their first kiss.You've always got me waitingCome on dear I think times a wastin'
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 55





	Looking Out For You

No matter how long the flight, no matter how hard the case, I was never able to sleep on the jet. 

Everything was too loud, everyone was too close. I just closed my eyes and willed for it to be over as soon as possible. No one really minded, they just left me to my own desires for the time being. 

Until Spencer Reid noticed something was wrong. 

For all the times he found fault in himself, told everyone he was a horrible empath and a poor excuse for comfort, he did a hell of a job comforting me. 

It was like he didn’t even try. He just opened his mouth and let the words tumble out, and the buzzing in my ears disappeared. I could never get enough of anything he had to tell me. I hoped the day where he stopped speaking would never come. 

Of course, Morgan would shoot him a few sarcastic comments, and the moment would be gone until he found it in him to speak again. It was hard, I knew, having to rebuild your confidence over and over again. But deep down, I hoped he could tell how Morgan truly thought of him. What everyone did. What I did. 

We found a system eventually. In order to combat Morgan’s remarks, we just conversed in hurried whispers. Well, Spencer did most of the talking, but it was all the same. 

And that’s where I found myself this very second. 

This case had been one of the harder ones since my time with the BAU; the assault and subsequent murder of children weighed heavily on my conscience.

I think Spencer could tell that I wasn’t fully with the team on the jet from the moment we departed. And he was right, my mind was still stuck in that alley where the first victim had been found. 

So here we were, sitting so close together on the couch that I could feel his body heat coming off of him in waves. There’s an entire half of the couch for him to use, but it was easier this way. And it’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, either, because I really did. More than a colleague should enjoy another’s company. 

He’s talking about the rate at which a star dies, the way it burns out and takes others along with it. I want to focus on his words, and I’ve never had a problem doing it before, but his toffee eyes catch the overhead light of the jet in a way I’ve never noticed before. 

And, God, I know it’s so adolescent to describe someone’s eye color as toffee or any assortment of adjectives other than their given name, but something about him makes me wish I was a poet just so I could string together words beautiful enough to describe him. 

Because Spencer is, at the core of everything, simply beautiful. 

The words are coming out before I can stop myself, before I realize what a mess I’m making. 

“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur, staring up at him and trying to memorize every individual eyelash. 

I don’t even bother taking the words back when his cheeks light up and he turns away from me, clearing his throat. 

“Sorry, what?” He asks, his voice an octave higher than usual. I recognize this as him offering me an out, saving myself from embarrassment. 

I take it with all the graze of a newborn goose. 

“Emily is beautiful, isn’t she?” 

At her name, Emily turns her head towards us, giving us a questioning glance which I return with a wide grin. She rolls her eyes in response, although a small smile is on her lips. 

I wasn’t lying to Spencer, at least. Emily is very beautiful. She carries herself with all the grace and charisma I never could. 

“Keep telling me about the stars, Mr. Doctor,” I urge, hoping to take Spencer’s mind off the horrible tension I could feel in the air. 

“Stop calling me Mr. Doctor,” he grumbles in response, but he continues his explanation all the same. I don’t miss the crooked smile on his face, and it makes my heart seize up momentarily. 

While I’m still unable to fall asleep on the jet, and probably forever will be, his voice calms me down like nothing else in this world. Hearing him speak is the closest thing to relaxation I’ve had in months. 

Although I’m grateful when the jet lands, one step closer to being back in my bed, I don’t want to stop listening to Spencer. But the work must go on, as always. 

The team walks to their desks in silence, only giving Penelope a greeting before getting settled in for our reports. 

As time goes by, more and more people trickle out of the office. Finally, it’s only me and Spencer left, save for Hotch, who apparently lives at the BAU. 

Before I can even contemplate apologizing for my uncomfortable actions on the plane, I feel a presence hovering over me. The infamous Doctor himself is right behind my chair, hands in his pockets as he rocks on his feet uneasily. 

“What’s up?” 

“Uh, I was seeing how close you were to finishing. I wanted to give you a ride home, if that’s okay? You know, none of us like the idea of you taking the bus by yourself at night.”

“Have you ever seen ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’?” I ask, trying to take my mind off the idea of being alone with Spencer in his car. I can barely handle being next to him on the jet; I’d probably combust from the pressure. 

“Are you trying to tell me you’re a vampire?” He counters, one eyebrow raised as he stares down at me expectantly. 

I sigh, putting my pen down and spinning around to face him fully. I could never say no to him, why even bother trying? I might as well resign myself to my fate. 

“Let me take this to Hotch and we can go.” 

The smile he sends me is so radiant that, for a second, it eases the sting of being helplessly head over heels for a coworker who will never feel the same way. As long as I can make him smile like that, I suppose it’s alright that I’m just another check on his to-do list. 

For the first half of the ride to my apartment, we sit in a comfortable silence. I try to force myself not to glance at him out of the corner of my eye, but I can’t help it. 

And I tell myself I’m being delusional when I feel his eyes on me, as well. Just a hopeless romantic too far out of my own depth. 

I berate him when he turns up the volume of his radio, only for Beethoven to come through the speakers. 

“Seriously, Reid? Do you listen to any music from this century?” 

“You listen to *NSYNC, so you don’t get to tell me I’m in the wrong.” 

“Oh? Dr. Reid is too good for a little boyband?” 

“Precisely.” 

I laugh, rolling my eyes at his childishness before reaching to turn down the music. 

Apparently, me and Reid had the same idea. His fingers touch mine, and for a moment I’m frozen. But just as quickly as it happened, I yank my hand back, cradling it as if I was burned. 

He fiddles with the radio for far too long, swallowing roughly and avoiding looking anywhere in my vicinity. 

I can’t help but wonder if I’m so awful that even touching me makes him sick. I know he doesn’t like being touched, but he’s hugged the others before. I’ve seen it myself. I’ve never been on the receiving end, though. 

Absentmindedly, I sigh, pushing my bangs out of my eyes and scooting down in my seat. I need to get over my dumb little crush. Fast. 

When we reach my apartment, Spencer parks the car but doesn’t say anything. Odd enough for him, but even so that he doesn’t even ask to walk me to my building to make sure I make it there safely. 

“Goodnight, Reid,” I mutter quietly, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. 

He still doesn’t reply, so I slam the door with a huff. 

I may not be the best at picking up signals, but I’m getting his loud and clear. It reads: I want nothing to do with you. And that’s fine! But it still hurts just as much. 

I turn on my heel, determined to go to my room and forget that Spencer Reid exists for just a few hours, when a voice stops me in my tracks. 

“Wait!”

I face him slowly, afraid of what he has to say. I find that he’s already in front of me, nervously playing with his fingers. It’s a habit he’s never been able to break. 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I ask, refusing to meet his eyes. 

Taking me completely by surprise, Spencer lifts up my chin with his fingers, gazing down at me with an expression I can’t even begin to understand. 

Before I can ask him what the hell has gotten into him, he’s leaning forward. 

I know what he plans to do, but I still can’t comprehend it. I’m convinced that it’s some sick joke until the moment his lips meet mine. 

His lips are chapped, but they taste like a strange mix of mint and honey. It’s my favorite flavor in the world. The kiss is soft and tender, as if he’s afraid he’ll break me if he presses too hard. 

But I’m not one to complain. 

He pulls back, leaning his forehead against mine and closing his eyes. The smile on his face is something that’ll be burned into my brain for the rest of my life. 

“Did you just kiss me?” I breathe out, hardly on the same plane of existence as I was before. 

“I’d like to do it again, if that’s alright.” 

“I’ve only been waiting for, like, six months!” I exclaim, flicking him on the forehead playfully. 

He grins, and our lips meet once more. 

I guess Spencer can do more amazing things with his mouth besides spout statistics.


End file.
